Pasta Paint Brushes

Spaghetti or any other long pasta turns into a silly, yet functional paint brush with blog me mom.  Also try painting without cooking the spaghetti and have kids experience the difference.

Good for age 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.blogmemom.com/paint-with-spaghetti-brooms/

Sand Prints

A beautiful way to capture memories of children from a beach vacation, crafting a greener world shows how to make a hand sculpture out of sand.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://craftingagreenworld.com/2010/07/18/beach-craft-make-a-sandy-handprint-keepsake/

Oceanic Finger Puppets

Colorful felt is cut into underwater creature shape such as octopi and whales to let kids make their own under the sea adventure.  Fave crates even includes a template to help with the cutting.

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.favecrafts.com/blog/fc/kids-summer-craft-no-sew-nautical-puppets/

Interactive Color Theory

A CD turned into a spinning top becomes even more fun when combining colors.  Alternate equal squares of primary colors to make new colors as they spin.  Here's the classic: Yellow and Blue make Green.  Deceptively educational shares all of the details. 

Good for age 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2013/07/blending-colors-with-diy-tops.html

Flower Bead Shoe Trays

Aluminum baking pans and flat colorful flower beads make a great shoe tray for storing wet and icky outdoor shoes.  Crafting new things even personalizes them with the wearer's initials.

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://craftingthingsnew.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/dollar-store-crafts-part-3-of-4-shoe-trays/

A Sticky Sun Catcher

Glue is the secret ingredient to these sun catchers.  Simply poor the glue into a dish and color with drops of food coloring.  Once dried you can display it in the window.  Cindy derosier shares all of the details.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.cindyderosier.com/2013/08/colored-glue-suncatchers.html

Babble dabble do shares a similar project.

Get the instructions here:
http://babbledabbledo.com/art-for-kids-cosmic-suncatchers/ 

Kix adds beads to their version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-colorful-glue-sun-catcher/

Popsicle Stick Chain Reaction

Popsicle sticks are embedded into a long square pattern chain with mom trusted.  Once all together they're set off and explode to make a huge reaction.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://earlylearning.momtrusted.com/2013/03/popsicle-stick-chain-reaction/